​Even professional painters may dread the task of refinishing old neglected, old dock & decks. Pressure treated lumber used on wooden decks and docks are what we see most. For the most part, they tend to avoid rotting, but can look unsightly in a short amount of time. Often the highest-grade lumber is not used and wood repairs are inevitable. ​As deck wood dries, it commonly begins to split. This causes a myriad of problems, allowing moisture and other contaminates to intrude. This may cause ugly mildew/algae growth. When the wood gets to this stage, there is not much else to do, it’s time for a professional touch. A partial or full refinishing will be needed to save replacement of the wood.

Shortly after construction/installation (wood needs to dry a bit) of your exterior wood you'll want to apply some sort of protection from the elements. Stain is an easy to apply; and most of the quality stains sold today have the necessary sealers combined with them. Make sure your exterior stain is a sealer as well, or you will need to apply varnish as a top-coat protectant.Exterior wood oil, varnish, or an epoxy sealers. Ease of application and longevity are the big differences with these top-coat protective finishes. With today's technology we recommend using a stain with the sealer included. Many are available on the market.

Wood Stain Protection

​Clear Wood Finish: As we all know, protecting wood decks and docks with some sort of sealer is crucial to maintain integrity. Clear wood finishes are applied easily. Some of the most common are lacquer, shellac, polyurethane, varnish and wax. They contain little or no pigment and important water repellents. Additionally, most will have ultraviolet inhibitors and wood preservatives. While these clear wood finishes have an amazing aesthetic appeal; they don’t quite have the long-lasting protection needed in Florida’s harsh climate.

​Semi-Solid: Semi-solid or “semi-transparent” stains are a popular choice. Contrary to solid stain, they allow the natural look and feel of wood to remain. Some of the wood’s grain remains visible. Semi-transparent finishes apply easily and look amazing if done correctly. The downfall is they can be high maintenance; usually a yearly freshen-up is required to maintain the fresh appearance and achieve maximum protect

​Solid Stain: Another option is solid body stain. These wood stains have the bold appearance of paint, allowing none of the wood grain to come through. Also, they may lay on top of the wood and could flake or peel as the wood releases. Unfortunately, if this transpires it may be necessary to strip the failing finish before applying new coatings. Make no mistake, the performance of these stains will greatly outlast clear or semi solid stains in general.

​For many years, we used a product from Sherwin Williams named Deckscapes (discontinued) with great success. They have replaced the DeckScapes line with the new and improved SuperDeck series of wood protection products. Although we are not a fan of the semi-transparent SuperDeck; we absolutely love the solid body and the elastomeric versions.

Elastomeric For Wood?When paint manufactures began producing elastomeric coatings specifically for wood; the zenith of the industry was realized! Elastomeric coatings have always been the go to for concrete, stucco, masonry and roofs. Pro Color has applied these types of waterproofing coatings to masonry for over 20 years with great success and efficiency.​Elastomeric coatings differ from regular paint and stain is several aspects. The most obvious can been seen in the material’s thickness and consistency. The elastomeric finish has a much higher solid content, causing it to be 3-5 times thicker. These coatings are designed to deter water intrusion and to have “bridging” qualities as to fill surfaces with cracks and blemishes. Including filling splits and crevasses in wood while remaining flexiable.. Elastomeric coatings are the perfect solution for resurfaces & retaining your wood’s integrity.

SuperDeck®Probably the best overall elastomeric for wood is Sherwin Williams SuperDeck. It’s an elastomeric finish coating engineered for decks and docks. Especially formulated for weathered, damaged wood on horizontal outdoor surfaces, with exposure to the harsh elements. In the Duck Back line, this elastomeric product is formulated to be used on existing finishes.

SuperDeck Exterior Deck & Dock Coating, just as all elastomerics is to be applied heavy; with a (DFT) dry film thickness of 14-18 mil. This can be achieved by applying two coats 15 mil wet. The dry film thickness achieved with products such as Duck Back to out-perform regular stain.

​High build coatings will protect and resurface your old/worn wood and decks/docks for wonderful outdoor enjoyment. They have a way of enhancing outdoor spaces while protecting for wood for many years to come.

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Pro Color Jax is based out of Jacksonville, Florida. A Jacksonville painting company with a huge repeat customer base and Top-Ratings! Painters in Jacksonville possessing vast knowledge and experience with all aspects of painting,